After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police, Scott
Ferrin confessed the following:

What I don't get is how you can claim this is a
religious war.

Try re-reading my original statement:

[quote to TJP] And what about the notion that our "lengthy" occupation
of Iraq being seen ******by muslims**** as a war against their
religion? [unquote]

Now let's review. I don't claim this is a religious war. I claim that
muslims now view our continued occupation of Iraq as a war against
islam. You and I don't get to frame their perception of US occupation
of Iraq...they do.

You claim this is simply one campaign in the war against terror. But
that claim is BS to most people on the planet. Here's what we all
know.

Saddam had ZERO to do with 9/11, he had been "contained" since 1991,
the almost uniformly ****ty intel [USAF Intel held a dissenting
opinion from what I read] was wrong about WMD, the 9/11 Commission
concludes that there was ZERO operational cooperation between
Hussein's despotic regime and al-****ing-qaeda. ZERO evidence that
Saddam Hussein was planning any terrorist attack against the US.

The events since gwb declared "mission accomplished" indicate gwb was
GROSSLY in error. But hey, he was grossly in error about exporting
good ole uhmurikan democracy smack dap in the middle of the arab
world.

The current fighting around Najaf is against men demonstrating loyalty
(or getting paid) to a guy that was anti-Saddam Hussein (just like
george bush). But this guy want's part of the "action" WRT running
Iraq. He wants to form an islamic state. This guy would be supremely
happy to never see an american face again...if we would just leave.
But that ain't gonna happen.

We don't really give a rat's ass what religion they
are, it's the fact that they (the terrorists) want us dead and will do
whatever they can to do it.

Well since there were no al-Qaeda camps in Iraq before we invaded your
point is irrelevant WRT the fight around Najaf. And fortunately the
military commanders in Iraq do not share your binary [black/white,
on/off, "with us" (patriot)/"against us" (terrorist)] POV.

Last night I read a quote from a USMC Col or Gen commanding some
troops near Najaf. Paraphrasing (cause I'll be damned if I will take
the time to hunt for it now) he said..."WRT to fighting a guerilla war
against insurgents [NOT TERRORISTS] around Najaf, we [USMC good guys]
must be sensitive to the religious implications of attacking forces
hiding in a holy muslim shrine."

My point? ****** [If you read nothing else read this!]*******

The officers and men fighting in Iraq characterize the combat as
guerilla war against insurgents...not some monolithic terrorist cabal.
Nor do they paint a picture of a religious war. But they also must
take steps to mitigate any appearance of making this a war against
islam. The latter clearly acknowledges what many muslims already
think.

The terrorists happen to be Islamic and
are using their religion to try to justify it. We couldn't care less
if they were Catholic, Buddist, or Holy Rollers. It's their actions
not their religion that is causing the problem.

Here's your logic, al-qaeda terrorists attacked us, we're fighting
terrorism, ergo ANYBODY that attacks americans inside Iraq must be a
terrorist.

Elegantly simple...but oh so simplistic, and simply faulty logic.

If you truly think MaS and his followers are terrorists, why hasn't
gwb or his dick [cheney] ever mentioned MaS as a terrorist? Answer?
They know MaS is an extremist cleric NOT a terrorist.

In April 2004 the stated policy (articulated by the US General
briefing the press in Baghdad) was to capture or kill ANYBODY killing
US forces or inciting others to kill US troops. But this policy is on
hold as we try to get MaS to leave the shrine in Najaf.

Our occupation of Iraq will be lengthy. It will tie up resources that
could have been used in the real war against terrorists, and limit our
options elsewhere. It must...finite resources...most resources tied up
in Iraq or stateside reconstituting for a return to Iraq...means you
have limited your options for any other crisis.

Robey